And he admits he does not know whether he will still be in charge at the Kassam Stadium next season.

Superbly-taken second-half goals from Andy Whing, James Constable and Alfie Potter ensured the U's ended their home programme in style, but many fans were not convinced, refusing to give Wilder the same applause as they gave the players when the squad did a lap of honour.

Wilder said: "The fans gave us an excellent ovation at the end and we shouldn't be embarrassed to accept that.

"The away record has been good all season and if we had had a few more days at home like today, we'd be a lot happier and a lot higher in the table.

"But we've fallen short."

Wilder said he didn't know what the future holds for him.

"I'll just keep working and wait until the chairman speaks to me," he said. "He's supported me.

"Whoever takes over - if it isn't me carrying on - will have a club that's in a lot healthier position than when I took over four years ago. The club has made great strides."

Wilder added: "In the last two games the support that's been given to the players has been excellent. Some of the criticism I've had, I feel has been a bit unfair. Maybe I have to learn from this. Overall though we'll look at this season as one of disappointment."

Readers' Comments

I

t's wrong to be making a joke out of Bender's name at the expense of gay people. It's the kind of childish, uncivilised thing that Football365 would deride and ridicule if it was another media outlet saying. Why is there a need for jokes like this? Does it make your writers feel like men? F365 might suggest that I 'lighten up', but it is genuinely traumatic for people who have been oppressed all their lives to be the butt of jokes, and to be told...

ou can't blame De Gea for wanting to leave, he has enough to do in front of goal as it is as well as taking on the role of Man Utd's version of Derek Acorah in trying to contact and organise a defence that isn't there.